Electrical connecter



Feb. 8, 1938. w. s. FOTSCH ELECTRICAL CONNECT-ER Filed Jan. 27, 1936 [Rue/12%)): iyljam G fZZJc/z Passed Feb. 8.193s

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE mention-comma William G. I'otsoh, m, asaignor to lie- IiabIeEIectI-IcOo Chicago oflllinois Application January 27,

, Ill a corporation.

1m. Serial Ho. 01.031

f a Claims; (01. m-zes) any ofthe parts falling off.

To the men working with electrical conductors, it is essential to have a connecter which eifectively holds all of the parts in one unit. It is also highly advantageous to havea device of this character that can be readily hung upon a continuous conductor so that it will stay in place while another conductor is inserted parallel to the continuous conductor. The present invention'contemplat'es a structure which is capable of producing the above results. 3

Theinvention further contemplates the structure of this character consisting of a U-shaped body form by bending, up a strip of sheet metal. a clamping screw, and a cross bar that is pervmanently attached to the U-shaped body but is movable to clear the channel of the U-shaped body for inserting a continuous wire and to tie the ends of the legs of the U-shaped body together after the wire is inserted. The top wire can then be inserted.

Theobjects and advantages of the invention will more clearly appear as the description proceeds in connection with the accompanying draw ving. It is to be understood. however, that the of a connec Fig. 3 isa sectional view-similar to Pig. 2 but showing the conductors removed and the cross bar in one limiting position; 1 Fig.4 is a fragmentary sectional view like Fig.

13- showing the cross bar withdrawn to clear the channel of the u-shaped body; and I Fig. 5 is a'sectional view'on'the line 5- of Fig. 4.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, the improved connecter consists of a U-shaped body 8 which is formed of a fairly heavy. strip stock of metal bent up into U -shape so asto provide a pair and 8.

tangular and are of the same dimensions lon- 1: v

of 1 8 'I and I between which conductors such as I and Il may be laid in parallel relation.

The body 6 has a base'll in whicha clamping screw it is screw threaded, the base being formed with a cylindrical ilange ll to'give additional threads for the screw ii. The legs I and l are provided with apertures II and II which apertures are-adjacent the-free ends of the legs 1 These apertures are substantially recgitudinally of the legs. The aperture it however, is not as wide as the aperture 14 transversely-oi' the legs and it further has the side faces at It and I! directed at an angle to each other so that they approach more closely to each 15 other toward the outside of the leg I. The metal isalso pressed out beyond the outer surface of theleg I as shown at II and II so as to provide means for holding a cross bar 2. from dropping completely out of the aperture ll. .The cross bar 2| is adapted to extend across the channel between the legs I and 8 and serve as a stop against which the conductors 9 and Mean be pressed by the screw II. This cross bar has an intermediate curved portion 2i and. has upturned end portions 22 and 23. The end portion 22 is longer than the dimension of the openings I4 and II in a direction longitudinally of the legs so that it cannot pass through either openings M or Ii. T

The width of the cross bar' 20 is slightly less than the smallest width between the projections II and II at the sides 01 the aperture ii. The end I! of the cross bar 2| is shorter than the dimension of the apertures I4 and II lengthwise 1-, of the legs I and 8 and the width oi' the portion II is less than the width of the opening ll. However, the portion 23 is held by projections 'l. and it after the cross bar is inserted through the openings Ii and It. The portion 2! has 0 cars at 24 and II to make the total width of the portion 28 somewhat in excess of the distance between it and I0. The ears 24 and 2! fit between the side faces It and ll of the opening it to permit the cross bar to be moved to the'position shown in Figs. 4 and 5 so that the upturned portion II is completely out of the channel between thelegs I and I. The cars 2'4 and 25 are prevented from passing out hrough opening II by bending the projections I8 and it toward each other after inserting the bar.- This is an inexpensive way to prevent the cross bar II from falling out of the opening ll.

' The upturned portions 22' and 23, when clamping pressure is applied to the conductors so 4 bar. Thus any tendency that the free ends of the legs I and 8 would have to spread due to the conductors 9 and i0 pressing against them is opposed by the portions 22 and 23.

.One of the features of this connecter is the ease with which it may be installed. The cross bar 20 is so loose in the openings l4 and ii that it will move to open position by force of gravity if the connecter is tilted to bring the leg I below the leg 8. The operator can then push the connecter up from below a line wire and turn it to bring leg 8 underneath which will cause the cross, bar to drop into locking position.

From the above description, it will be evident that I have provided a-very simple economical unit connecter.

It is believed that the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood from the i'oregoing description.

Having thus described onespeciiic form of my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by-Letters Patent is:

1. .A connecter for electrical conductors comprising a U-shaped body having aligned apertures in the. legs thereof, a cross bar slidlable transverselyof the body in said apertures and having end portions turned toward the free ends isaid legs, one of said end portions being slid ble through its aperture, and into the other aperture, means cooperating with said end portion to prevent its passing through said other aperture, and means adjustably mounted inkthe .base of said to press conductors betweensaid legs against said cross bar, said cooperating tion.

means comprising projections at the opp osite sides "of said other apertureiextending outwardly from the leg and toward each other. 7

2. A connecter for electrical conductors comprising-a strip oi! metal bent into substantially U-shape and having aligned apertures in the legs thereof adjacent the free ends of said legs, one of said apertures being wider transversely of the leg than the other, a cross bar mounted in said apertures and having end portions turned parallel to said legs, one of said end portions being of greater-dimension than its adjacent aperture, the other of said end portions being movable engageable with the outer surfaces of said leg to prevent their spreading and having an intermediate portion extending through said apertures to provide a surface against which conductors extending through said bodymay be clamped, means adjustably mounted in the hase of said body to clamp conductors against said cross bar,

one of said end portions being too long to pass through its adjacent aperture, the other. of said end portions being oi smaller dimensions than its adjacent aperture, but being too wide to pass out of the aperture adjacent the other end por- G. FOTSCH. 

